This invention relates to an automatic chip separating and feeding apparatus which is adapted to be typically used as a part of a taping machine, and more particularly to an apparatus adapted to carry out the operations of individually separating chips fed in a row from a linear alignment feeder of the vibration type or the like, transferring the separated chips one by one to chip supports circumferentially arranged at the periphery of a wheel to cause the chips to be supported in the chips supports, feeding the chips to a tape such as a paper tape, an embossed plastic tape or the like which travels, for example, straight due to rotation of the wheel, and individually separately charging the chip in chip charging holes of the tape using a suitable means, at a very high speed and with high accuracy.
Conventionally, various kinds of chip taping machines have been widely used for individually charging miniaturized or small-sized electronic components or chips one by one in chip charging holes of a tape to manufacture a chip tape. In such a taping process, a step of individually separately charging chip charging holes of a tape with a number of produced chips generally takes place by means of such an apparatus as shown in FIG. 4.
The apparatus of FIG. 4 is so constructed that chips t fed by a linear alignment feeder 1 of the vibrating type or the like which is adapted to carry chips while linearly aligning them are individually separately transferred to and supported in chip supports 2 circumferentially disposed at equal intervals on the periphery of a wheel 3, which are rotated to individually separately charge the chips from the chip supports 2 into chip charging holes 5 of a tape 4 linearly traveling in proximity to a part of the periphery of the wheel 3 and in synchronism with the rotation of the wheel. The charging may be carried out by outwardly pushing the chip t from the chip support 2 of the wheel 3 to drop it onto the tape 4.
Unfortunately, the conventional apparatus constructed as described above has some disadvantages.
First, it is highly difficult for the apparatus to rapidly and accurately carry out the operation of individually separately transferring the chips t to the chip supports 2 of the wheel 3 intermittently rotated at a high speed to support the former on the latter. This results in the apparatus encountering many problems such as a failure in the transfer and support of the chips on the chip supports 2, inaccurate supporting of the chips on the chip supports 2 and the like, so that the rate at which the apparatus individually separates the chips is limited to a level as low as about 500 chips/min.
Also, the failure in transferring of the chips to the chip supports 2 of the wheel 3, the inaccurate supporting of the chips on the chip supports 2 and the like causes a problem when the tips t are charged in the chip charging holes 5 of the tape 4 in the next step.
In the conventional apparatus, the chips t fed in a row from the linear alignment feeder 1 each are constantly contacted at the distal end thereof with the periphery of the wheel 3. This causes the wheel to be highly damaged due to wearing because the chips are made of a rigid ceramic material, resulting in the durability of the wheel being deteriorated.